1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable electrical appliances, such as warm-mist humidifiers or electric heaters, and more particularly relates to a portable electrical appliance capable of performing diagnostic tests and displaying the results of these tests.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electric household appliances, such as heaters of the type used in the home or office, are often equipped with various features, such as tilt switches, which are configured to turn the heater off when the heater is tipped over, and safety fuses. These heaters may also include proximity sensors that shut the heater off if another object is too close to it. Heaters have also been provided with sensors for determining whether an object is too close to the heater outlet.
There is always a possibility that a heater can malfunction during use. This malfunction may or may not impede its primary purpose, which is to provide heat. However, some malfunctions, such as those concerning safety features of the heater, may be just as important to the user as getting warm. In fact, malfunctions in safety features are particularly hazardous because they are often unnoticeable to the user due to the unimpeded operation of the heater.
A diagnostic system is designed to implement a routine, in which steps are undertaken to locate and identify a malfunction. Typically, in computer-based diagnostic systems, a program is executed and a series of electronic elements are monitored by the system to diagnose malfunctions. The electronic elements can include sensors and/or elements, such as portions of a computer.
The potential for serious life threatening injury from heaters makes their safe operation imperative to the consumer. Therefore, there is a need for an electric heater that is able to conduct diagnostic testing of various features incorporated into the heater to ensure that defective conditions do not exist in advance of requiring their use.